BOOK CLUB READS
Top 40
FICTION
20
SHAME AND THE CAPTIVES
Tom Keneally
Set in Gawell, New South Wales,
Shame and the Captives tells the story
of Alice, a young woman who is living
with her father-in-law on his farm while
her husband is away at war. Close to
their farm is a prisoner-of-war (POW)
camp housing European, Korean and
Japanese prisoners. Alice’s husband is
taken prisoner in Greece and back in
Australia, Giancarlo – an Italian POW –
begins work on their farm.
These new and different people
fascinate Alice, especially the
Japanese who have already been
declared dead in their home
country. Keneally has woven a
beautiful narrative exploring culture,
relationships and the impacts of war
on ordinar y people.